Immunoglobulin allotypes influence IgG antibody responses to hepatitis C virus envelope proteins E1 and E2.

Immunoglobulin (Ig) GM and KM allotypes—genetic markers of γ and κ chains, respectively—are associated with the outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We hypothesized that GM and KM allotypes could contribute to the outcome of HCV infection by influencing the levels of IgG antibodies to the HCV glycoproteins E1E2. We serologically allotyped 100 African American individuals with persistent HCV infection for GM and KM markers and measured anti-E1E2 antibodies. Subjects with the GM 1,17 5,13 phenotype had significantly higher levels of anti-E1E2 antibodies than subjects who lacked this phenotype (p = 0.008). Likewise, subjects with the KM 1–carrying phenotypes had higher levels of anti-E1E2 antibodies than subjects who lacked these phenotypes (p = 0.041). Median titers were fourfold higher in persons expressing both GM 1,17 5,13 and KM 1–carrying phenotypes compared with those who lacked these phenotypes (p = 0.011). Interactive effects of these GM-KM phenotypes were previously found to be highly significantly associated with spontaneous HCV clearance. Results presented here show that Ig allotypes contribute to the interindividual differences in humoral immunity to the HCV epitopes, a finding that may provide a mechanistic explanation for their involvement in the outcome of HCV infection.